An interview with Judy Collins

KARA POUND

Thursday

Feb 28, 2013 at 6:24 PM

At age 73, Judy Collins, a Grammy Award-winning singer and pianist, has had a long, storied career since the 1961 release of guitar-based folk debut "A Maid of Constant Sorrow." Over five decades later and with nearly 50 albums behind her, Collins still hits the road for about 125 shows per year - playing chosen hits from an extensive repertoire of material.

Compass: Tell me a bit about the format of the show you'll be performing in Ponte Vedra.

Judy Collins: We have piano, we have guitar. I play a lot of guitar. I play a lot of piano. My musical director plays music, as well.

Compass: Is there a lot of audience interaction at your shows?

J.C.: Oh, of course. I tell a lot of stories. And I play hits - although you'd have to come to all the shows to hear all of them - the shows are always different. I do a lot of audience interaction. It's me talking and hoping to make people laugh. There'll be songs from the new CD, "Bohemian," and from my PBS special, "Judy Collins Live at The Metropolitan Museum of Art."

Compass: You have an extensive repertoire - nearly 50 albums worth. How do you decide what you're going to sing for a show?

J.C.: Well, most of the time there are certain things that have emerged and it probably involves 50 to 60 songs, which we rotate. Depending on what we feel like doing, we bring other songs up through the body of the work. But, of course, there are the new things that I've recorded - the new songs about my mother, the new song called "Morocco," songs from "Bohemian," a new recording of "Cactus Tree" - a Joni Mitchell song, a new Woody Guthrie song. So there's always new material coming in and there's always old material being given a new dress.

Compass: How do you remember all of the songs?

J.C.: Good question (laughs). I don't always, so sometimes I use lyrics.

Compass: Press material calls you a "modern-day Renaissance woman," which is quite accurate given you're a singer, painter, writer, filmmaker, etc. etc. Is there one role you embrace or consider yourself more than the others?

J.C.: Well, I certainly make a living doing my music - that's the basis of my career, so I'd probably have to say that's the most important. It gets probably the most attention and that's important. And probably the most time because I'm on the road doing 125 shows a year - that takes up a lot of time.

Judy Collins performs with Ledfoot Thursday, March 7 at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. Doors open at 7 p.m. and show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $65 for the first three rows and $45 for all remaining rows. This is a seated show. Go to www.pvconcerthall.com.

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